Ball-rolling machine.



`1 ATBNTBD MAY a, 1906.

A. -T. SAUNDERS.

BALL ROLLING MACHINE. APPLIUATIOA FILED Nov. zo. 1905.

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No. 820,189. PATENTED-MAY 8, 1906.

A. T. SAUNDERS.

BALL ROLLING MACHINE.

f APPLIGATION FILED Nov.2o,19o5.

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`PA'IEN'IED MAY 8, 1906 A. T. SAUNDBRS.

BALL ROLLING MACHINE.

AHLIQATION 'FILED Nov.zo,19o5.

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ADDION T. SAUNDERS, OF

AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T FRANK A. SEIBERLING, OF AKRON, OHIO.

BALL-ROLLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application Hed November 20, 1905. Serial No. 288,198.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON T. SAUNDERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Ball-Rolling Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention has relation to devices for performing one step in themanufacture of certain articles; and it consists in mechanism forcontinuously rolling the articles, so that their axes of rotation areconstantly changing.

This invention, while suitable for other purposes, is primarily designedto roll a hollow sphere constituting either a playing-ball or a nucleustherefor, so that a fluent or semiuent air-proof material placed thereinwill be formed into a uniform lining therefor and be distributed evenlyand effectually within the shell of the sphere.

It has'been found that a hollow sphere, especially when constructedwholly or in part from rubber and whether used alone as a playing-ballor as a nucleus for golf or similar balls, is not perfectly air-proofunder a charge of liuid placed therein. I-Ience it has been foundnecessary to place within said sphere some form of lining which willrender the same fluid-tight. In providing linings of this character forspheres which are to be used either as playing-balls or as a nucleus forthe superimposition thereon of other coverings to adapt them for otheruses it is preferable to place the lining within theball in a fluent orsemifluent condition and subsequently roll or rotate the spherecontinuously until the fluent lining sets and becomes either solid orsemisolid. There are two classes of linings which may preferably beused, one class being designed to set when the article on which it isplaced is cooled and the other when the temperature of the article israised sufliciently to coagulate the iiuent lining.

The object of this invention therefore is to provide a simple andsuitable device for receiving the hollow spheres containing the iiuentlining which will constantly roll them about on constantly-changing axesuntil the fluent material contained therein has been sufficientlydistributed to constitute an even lining and has set enough to beapproximately self-maintaining. A

The invention further aims to supplement the mechanism for imparting arotary motion with suitable means for maintaining or changing thetemperature of the spheres during the rolling thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of partsconstituting the invention, to be hereinafter referred to andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, in which is shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention; but it is to be understood that changes, variations, andmodifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of theclaims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, in which similar referencenumerals indicate like partsin the different figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my iinproveddevice. Fig. 2 is aplan thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking fromthe left of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective ofthe mechanism for sustaining the sphere while it is being rolled to setthe lining therein.

It will be stated that while the mechanism described herein is equallyapplicable for the rolling of various articles the description hereinfor the purpose of this application will be confined wholly to rubberspheres adapted for use as playing-balls or as nuclei for playing-balls.

In the drawings, 1 1 denote two longitudinal side bars of a frame ortable on which the balance of the mechanism to be herein described issupported. These two side bars 1 1 are connected near their ends withtransverse bars 2 2 and are further braced by -f end bars 3 3.

of pairs of legs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the members of each pair beingoppositely disposed With respect to each other. tween the legs 4 and 6are longitudinal brace-bars 10, and between the legs 7 and 9 are similarbrace-bars 11. Extending between the pairs of legs 6 and 7 arehorizontal cross-pieces 12 and 13. Mounted in bearings 14 on thecross-piece 12 is a shaft 15, bearing a large spur-gear 16. Mounted 1nbearings 17 on the cross-piece 10 is a shaft 18, which bears a pinion19, meshing into the gear 16. This s aft 18 also bears a spurgear 20,tightly mounted thereon. Mounted These longitudinal bars 1 1` andcross-bars 2 2 are supported on a plurality Extending be- IOO i on asuitable foundation adjacent to the mechanism just described is anelectric motor 2'1, having mounted on its armature-shaft a spur-pinion22, which meshes into the spur-gear 20. It will be seen from theforegoing description that the rotation of the shaft will be relativelyslow compared to the rotation of the armature-shaft.

Mounted on the longitudinal side bars 1 1 is an elongated hollow chamber23, provided with a suitable number of openings 24, into which may beinserted the threaded ends of pipes for conveying to the interior of thechamber 23 suitable iiuids for the maintaining or changing of thetemperature of the entire member 23. Mounted in bearings 54 on thelongitudinal bars 1 1 are two shafts 25 and 26, each of which bears awide-faced roller 27. Arranged to be mounted on the two rollers 27 is abelt 28, preferably constructed of fine wire-gauze. The position of thewide-faced rollers 27 is such that the belt 28, extending between theupper portions of their peripheries, will lie along and travel on theupper surface of the chamber 23.. Mounted on the shaft 25 is asprocketwheel 29, on which is arranged to run a sprocket-chain 30, whichalso passes around a sprocket-wheel 31 yon the main shaft 15, so thatmotion is communicated from the driving-shaft 15 to the pulley-shaft 25.

In the upper portions of the cross-piece 2,

extending between the longitudinal side bars 1 1, are formed parallelways 32, in each of which is adapted to slide a carriage 33. These twocarriages 33 are adapted to reciprocate transversely of the frame of themachine by means of the following mechanism: On one end of the shaft 15is a beveled gear 34, into which meshes a beveled gear 35, fastened tothe lower end of a shaft 36, supported rotatably in a bracket 37,attached to the outside of one of the longitudinal bars 1, and in asecond bracket 38, suitably fastened to the cross-bar 13. The upper endof the shaft 36 bears a beveled gear 39, which meshes into a beveledgear 40, mount ed on a longitudinal shaft 41, rotatable in brackets 42,attached to one of the side bars. This shaft 41 bears two cranks 43,each of which is mounted adjacent one of the carriages 33 and connectedthereto by a link 44.

Mounted on the carriage 33 is an op en rectangular frame made up of sidebars 45, connected by end bars 46. This frame, hereinafter designated asan entirety by the reference-numeral 47, is capable of slight verticalmotion and is prevented from transverse or longitudinal displacement bysuch means as a plurality of dowel-pins 48 or other equivalent means. Oneach of the carriages 33 is a pair of manually-operable cams 49, by

` which the vertical position of the frame with respectto the uppersurface of the chamber 23 may be maintained or changed.

Extending between the end pieces 46 of the frame 47 and between the sidebars 45 are a plurality of tightly-drawn wires 50. These wires 50 are sospaced apart from each other that they will divide the space bounded bythe sides of the frame into a plurality of openings. (Shown best inFigs. 2 and 4.) It is preferable to so place the longitudinal wires 50that they will be parallel with the side bars 45 and so locate thetransverse wires 50 that they will intersect the longitudinal wiresatsubstantially right angles,

whereby the openings formed by the intersecting wires are nearly perfectsquares. These wires 50 are normally adapted to be drawn sufficientlytight by any suitable means to pro erly maintain themselves and besubstantia ly free from any appreciable sag. Of course it will beobvious that the raising of the frames 47 by means of the cams 49 willalso raise the wires 50 a corresponding distance above the top of thechamber 23, on which the belt 28 travels.

The operation of this device is as follows: Motion being communicated tothe shaft 15, as already described, the belt 28 is caused to travelslowly and progressively along the top face of the chamber 23, and atthe same time the frame 47 is reciprocated transversely in unison withthe movements of the carriages' 33, driven by the cranks 43 on thelongitudinal shaft 41. A suitable number of liollow spheres containing aiiuent or semifiuent material` are placed on the belt, (preferably atthe left end in Fig. 1,) and these spheres are distributed in such amanner that each sphere will be placed in one of the openings boundedvby the longitudinal and transverse Wires 50. The wires 50 will be raiseda sufficient distance above the belt 28 to engage the spheres at or neara horizontal line drawn through their centers. The motion of the belt 28constantly rotates the spheres in one direction, and the movement of theframe 47 and wires 5() causes a reciprocal transverse travel of thesespheres across the top of the belt 28, whereby there is imparted theretosuch a rolling motion as will constantly change their aXes of rotation.The rolling of these spheres is kept up until the lining placed in themhas reached the consistency-desired by the operator, and this may bedetermined either by timing them or any other suitable `or referredmeans. After remaining on the elt 28 a suflicient length of time theyare removed and replaced by other spheres, upon which the same processis used. If the material which is placed within the spheres is of anature to be set or brought to a proper condition by the application ofheat, steam is forced into the chamber 23.

It will be obvious, of course, that the chamber 23 may be divided by anynumber of partitions which it is not deemed necessary to show, andvarious portions of this chamber IOO IIO

may be heated to different temperatures to suit the requirements ofvarious cases. It will also be apparent that if the material placedwithin the spheres is of a nature which requires cooling to bring it tothe proper condition then any other fluid of a suitable nature may beconveyed to the interior of the chamber 23 through the openings 24.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine of the class described comprising a constantlytravelinginstrumentality, means for loosely confining articles thereon, means foroperating said confining means whereby said articles are prevented fromprogressive movement on said instrumentality but are constantly rotatedon constantly-changing aXes by the movement of said instrumentality.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a constantlytravelinginstrumentality, means for loosely confining articles thereon, means forindependently operating said confining means and means for controllingthe temperature of said articles during their confinement.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a constantlytravelinginstrumentality, means for loosely confining articles thereon, and meansfor reciprocating said confining means transversely to the movement ofsaid instrumentality.

4. A machine of the class described comprising a constantlytravelinginstrumentality, means for loosely confining articles thereon, means forreciprocating said conning means transversely to the movement of saidinstrumentality, and means for controlling the temperature of saidarticles during their confinement.`

5. The combination in a machine of the class described, of aconstantly-traveling inmotion to said instrumentality, means for looselyconfining articles on said instrumentality, and means for imparting atransverse reciprocal movement to said articles on said instrumentalityduring their confinement.

7. A machine of the'class described, comprising in combination aconstantly-traveling instrumentality, means for imparting motion to saidinstrumentality, means for loosely confining articles on saidinstrumentality, means for imparting a transverse reciprocal movement tosaid articles during their confinement, and means for controlling thetemperature of said articles when on said instrumentality.

8. The combination in a device of the class described, of atemperature-controlling means, a conveying-belt arranged to travel alongone face of said first-named means, anld means to reciprocate articlesacross said be t.

9. The combination in a device of the class described, of atemperature-controllin means, a conveying-belt arranged to trave alongone face of said rst-named means, means to impart a continuous movementto said belt, and means to reciprocate articles across said belt.

10. The combination in a device of the class described, of atemperature-controlling means, a member arranged t o support articleswithin the influence of said first-named means, and an openly-dividedhorizontal frame arranged to reciprocate said articles across saidsupporting means.

l1. The combination in a device of the class described, of atemperature-controlling means, a member arranged to convey articles injuxtaposition to said first-named ymeans, means to reciprocate saidarticles across said member, and means to raise and lower saidreciprocatory means.

In testlmony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inpresence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ADDISON T. SAUNDERS.

Witnesses:

C. E. HUMPHREY, GLENARA FOX.

